The invention relates to a sharpener, in particular to a sharpener for sharpening a soft-core pencil. The sharpener has a sharpener housing that can be inserted into a sharpener container, a sharpener channel that opens out into a free space via a channel opening, and a sharpener blade positioned tangentially against the sharpener channel.
A sharpener having a pencil or core sharpener, a sharpener container enclosing the sharpener, a base part, and a cover is known, for example, from Published German Patent Application DE 199 55 395 A1. This type of sharpener is referred to as a container-type sharpener. The pencil or core sharpener in this document forms the actual sharpener body, which is usually molded in one piece from plastic and has a guide channel that tapers conically in the introduction direction. The guide channel is for accommodating the front end of the pencil or core that is to be sharpened. A sharpener blade retained on the sharpener body is positioned tangentially against the guide channel.
A sharpener with a corresponding sharpener body or sharpener housing is also known from Published European Patent Application EP 0 872 356 A1. A cleaning stick, which is retained in a captive and removable manner on or in the sharpener housing, is provided for cleaning accumulating core substance out of the sharpener body. This accumulating core substance which tends to smear, in particular in the vicinity of the sharpener blade and/or a shaving rib provided for shaping a soft core.
In the case of such a sharpener, in particular in the case of a cosmetics sharpener, it would be advantageous to be able to individually configure adapted core formations. It is often intended to achieve specific line contours using drawing pencils or cosmetics pencils. In particular in decorative cosmetics, for example, applying line contours on the eyes and lips or applying the cosmetic over the surface of the lips and cheeks in cream or powder form are/is required. For this purpose, it is desirable to be able to monitor the shaping during the configuration of the core.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a sharpener which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art apparatus of this general type.
In particular, it is object of the invention to provide a sharpener, in particular, a sharpener housing and a cleaning stick such that the operation of shaping the core can be monitored in a straightforward and particularly effective manner. For this purpose, a magnifying glass is provided as a constituent part of the sharpener. The magnifying glass allows optical enlargement of the core formation during the intended use of the sharpener.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a sharpener that includes a sharpener container, and a sharpener housing that is inserted into the sharpener container. The sharpener housing is formed with a free space. The sharpener also includes: a sharpener channel having a channel opening that opens into the free space; a sharpener blade positioned tangentially against the sharpener channel; and a magnifying glass for optically enlarging a core formation positioned either near the channel opening or in the free space.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the magnifying glass is an integral component of the sharpener housing.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the sharpener housing has a longitudinal side; and the magnifying glass is configured in the longitudinal side of the sharpener housing.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the magnifying glass is an integral component of the sharpener container.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the sharpener container has a cover; and the magnifying glass is configured in the cover.
In accordance with a further added feature of the invention, the sharpener includes a retaining tongue having a free end attached to the magnifying glass; the retaining tongue is articulated on the cover of the container; the sharpener housing is formed with an introduction opening that opens out into the sharpener channel; and the magnifying glass is pivotable to cover the introduction opening.
In accordance with a further additional feature of the invention, the sharpener includes a cleaning stick that is removably retained in the sharpener housing, and the magnifying glass is an integral component of the cleaning stick.
In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, the sharpener blade is constructed for sharpening a core of a pencil; and the sharpener channel is constructed for receiving the pencil.
The magnifying glass is expediently an integral constituent part of the sharpener. For this purpose, the magnifying glass may be integrated in a sharpener container or in the sharpener housing (sharpener body). A connecting piece integrally formed on the sharpener housing is suitable for arranging the magnifying glass on the sharpener housing or in the sharpener body. The connecting piece is located in the region above or beneath the sharpener blade and thus in the region where the sharpener channel opens out into the free space. In the case of a cosmetics sharpener, usually an additional core shaper in the form of a specially shaped shaving edge is configured in the region where the sharpener channel opens out into the free space. It is also possible, however, to introduce the magnifying glass into a longitudinal side of the sharpener housing or sharpener body, with the result that it is possible to monitor the core shaping from a lateral viewpoint.
If the sharpener includes a sharpener container, the magnifying glass can be introduced into or formed in, the container cover. It is also possible, however, to introduce the magnifying glass in the container base, which usually serves as a shavings collector. In addition, the magnifying glass may also be provided at the free end of a tongue that is retained in a pivotable manner on the cover of the sharpener container. In this embodiment, the magnifying glass, when not in use, advantageously covers the introduction opening for the pencil that is to be sharpened. The introduction opening is provided on the front side of the sharpener housing or body. In this embodiment, the magnifying glass thus also serves as a closure element for the introduction opening.
Since, in the case of a soft-core sharpener, there is usually a cleaning stick, which is retained in a captive but removable manner in a holding receptacle of the sharpener housing, it is also possible for the magnifying glass to be integrated into the cleaning stick, preferably into the head region thereof.
One of the advantages obtained by the invention is that by using a magnifying glass to optically enlarge the shaping region of the sharpener, it is possible to reliably monitor the operation of shaping the core. The magnifying glass may be an integral or separate component retained in a captive manner in or on the sharpener. In the case of a container-type sharpener, integrating the magnifying glass in the sharpener container is particularly suitable, while, in the case of a sharpener without a container, integrating the magnifying glass in a side wall of the housing or in a retaining connecting piece integrally formed on the sharpener housing is particularly suitable. The retaining connecting piece then expediently runs between the two longitudinal sides of the housing, and at the same time, above the sharpener channel or the location at which the latter opens out into the free space. It is also possible for the sharpening housing itself to be configured as a magnifying glass, with the result that the magnifying glass is then integral with the molded sharpener.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a sharpener, in particular for a soft-core pencil, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.